Verizon shares edged higher in premarket trading, rising nearly 2 percent. The company said that the earnings reflect a 1-cent-per-share impact as a result of the natural disasters in Florida and Texas, and said the comany also offered services in northern California and Puerto Rico.

“I share the pride of all Verizon employees that our network aided and served first-responders and customers when they needed it most following the recent natural disasters,” CEO Lowell McAdam said in a statement.

McAdam said that Verizon still has the flexibility to up dividends.

Verizon has looked to lure customers from the competition with unlimited data plans, as smartphone makers unveil their holiday-ready handsets. At the same time, the telecom company is moving deeper into advertising through its acquisition of Yahoo, a business that provides a sizeable chunk of sales for the company.